An Alberta man who has been wanted on several warrants was located in Victoria and arrested for impaired driving in a stolen vehicle with a concealed weapon on New Year’s day.
On Sunday, January 1st just after 9 p.m., VicPD say an officer noticed a vehicle parked at Clover Point on Dallas Road that did not have a front license plate.
Police say the occupant of the vehicle was found to be smoking marijuana in the driver’s seat.
The officer spoke with the driver and called in the vehicle’s license plate for a background check to confirm the vehicle was insured.
It was determined the vehicle was reported stolen by Edmonton Police.
According to police, as the officer went to take the driver into custody, the man indicated he was in possession of a replica handgun.
Police say the man tried to fight with the officer as he was being taken into custody. Additional officers and an Integrated Canine Service (ICS) member attended the scene to assist with the arrest.
According to VicPD, the man continued to resist the officers attempts at arrest until an officer used a conducted energy weapon (CEW) known as a “contact stun” gun on the man.
After the CEW was used on him, the man was arrested without further incident.
Officers recovered a loaded, realistic replica handgun from the man following the arrest.
A suspected impaired driver investigation at Clover Point turned up a vehicle stolen from Alberta & a man wanted on warrants for sex offences who told officers he had a gun. He fought w officers but was arrested after a CEW was deployed. #yyj https://t.co/tiX4x4lcga
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) January 10, 2023
To comply with policy, whenever a CEW is deployed on a suspect, they must be taken to hospital to be cleared medically in case of heart conditions.
He was also treated for non-life threatening injuries to his hand while in hospital.
VicPD say that once they had identified they learned he was being sought by police for outstanding warrants connected to sexual assault, sexual interference and failure to appear in addition to the warrant connected to the stolen vehicle.
He was also prohibited from possessing any firearms or other weapons.
Police say that after being medically cleared, he was transported to VicPD cells overnight and has since been released.
He now faces additional charges of possession of stolen property, breaching a release order, resisting arrest and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, on top of his outstanding warrants from Edmonton.
